Yamhill Valley Vineyard is positioned within the McMinnville ava in the foothills of the Coast Range, along the edge of the Van Duzer Corridor—the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where cool marine air pours in from the ocean 30 miles away. The cooling winds and cool mountain air translate to Chardonnay with refreshing, sometimes electric, acidity. The shallow volcanic soil and steep, south-facing slope of the Fromage block has little water holding capacity, causing stress to the vines and resulting in a sparse canopy and loose clusters of unusually small, sun-kissed, thick-skinned berries, giving depth and texture to the wine. Our goal for Chardonnay is to achieve a tension between expressive fruit and vibrant acidity, between substance and delicacy. Yamhill Valley Vineyard is giving us the opportunity to find that delightful balance point.

the Growing Season

After an extremely mild Winter, the vines awoke early in March, almost a month ahead of normal. the Summer was genuinely mild and the vines were refreshed by occasional rain. Autumn conditions were a dream‒no rain and consistently mild temps all through September, making life easy for this winemaker. Although we began harvesting in the Willamette Valley on August 30 (Gewurztraminer) and finished with Riesling on september 29‒two-to-four weeks earlier than average‒the growing season was not compressed, rather it finished early because it started so early. And despite the early harvest, the wines display an elegance, energy and depth that reminds us of an ideal vintage.

Our winery is secluded in the wooded foothills of oregon's coast range, within the mcminnville ava. We farm and partner with exceptional, late-ripening vineyards in the willamette valley to produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Rosé. We strive to make wine in the vineyard, to produce distinctive wines with an authentic sense-of-place. To this end we raise much of our wine in oregon oak barrels (Quercus garryana) locally harvested, air-dried and coopered. Our wines are sought after for their graceful balance, textural depth, expressive aromas and long-aging potential —Evan & Sarah Martin